poop board

[Eggcessive]

I keep food and water in my coop because my chickens rise at 5:30 AM when my timer light goes on. They like to eat and drink before I open the coop at 7 AM. I keep their food inside always to keep rain out of it, but have water outside too. As for poop boards, I don't use them--I just put fresh pine shavings down and let them scratch around for the DLP.

 

[oesdog]

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You gotta remember there are loads of new folk comming onto BYC everyday. A lot don't have the experience you do or even know how to use the site properly, let alone raise chickens. It is good to go over stuff and refresh even for us old-timers!

My chickens just Poo on the hay under their perch - then I clean it out once a week/fortnight - depending on if the scat reaches the feet of the hens when they dangle them off the perches!!!

, Then I leave it in a heap for about 3-4 weeks ( To mature!) and then spread it on the VEG patch!
Works everytime - great VEG! and Happy hens. They don't sleep near it cause they perch and the eggs are laid in the egg boxes away from the perches! It's a win win!
The trick is to put a layer of wood shavings on the floor of the coop and then a really good load of hay. The girls poop onto the hay but you have to leave it about 7 - 10 days so you get a decent amount and it starts to dry into the hay. Then you somply roll it up like a carpet!!!! Usually it rolls away and leaves clean shavings still underneath! Then I just top up the shavings and stuff more hay for next time! You have to leave scat for 3-4 weeks before you put it on the Veg patch because it burns the plants if you put it on too soon. I never put food or water inside the coop as it attracts mice and rats into the coop! I prefer it outside and as my coop is on stilts I leave it under there out of the rain and the girls have someplace to go in the bad weather when the run is wet and muddy.
Oesdog

 

[teach1rusl]

Here's the dropping board in my bantam coop:

 

[simplynewt]

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Some peeps put their food and water inside the coops. Some put just the feed. I prefer to keep the water and feed out of the coop as it is easier for coop cleanup and they dont drink in their coop that much anyway. I started with the feed and water in the coop but as soon as I seen that it was becoming a mess each and every day, I opted for the run.

I also use shavings in the coop, simular to the DLM but also have a poo board. Whatever the board does not catch which is right under the roost, the shavings catch and I feel it is alot easier to clean the coop with the board in place.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

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I use the deep litter method. Some people go 6 months or more between cleanings just adding more shavings. I want poop boards but haven't gotten around to it. My new coops have covered nest boxes under the roosts so the covers have become my poop boards, hence my thought about putting polyethylene sheets on them.
I shovel out under the roost about once a month and completely romove everything, dust with DE and new shavings at about 3 month intervals. I have a feeder and automatic water in most coops in case I don't let them out early enough.
If I had automatic doors I probably wouldn't. I definitely take the outside feeders in at night. I put heated waterers inside when it's very cold so they stay thawed but I'm sure it adds to humidity.
Everybody's situation is different, do what works for you.
In a nutshell - predator proof housing, good ventilation, endless fresh water, high quality nutrition and as much room as you can possibly provide.

 

[Cebarmlds]

The poop board is nicely dotted with poos this morning

I could take a picture but i'm not very good at posting pics, sometimes it works sometimes not. I think i'm gonna love the poop board, i'll get a large metal scraper and keep a poo bucket, when it gets full or stinky i'll take it to the compost barrel and dump it

 

[momma of a chicken lover]

We have no chickens. My son is transforming his Menards swing set due to a deep seated need to raise chickens. I have been lurking, reading, learning on here. Love this site! I have read several threads where people use plastic trays or paper bags on their poop boards...

 

[greenriver]

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Welcome to BYC.

 

[momma of a chicken lover]

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Welcome to BYC.

Thank you!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

... and I tried newspaper on my poop boards at first thinking how easy this was going to be... roll it up each morning and place in compost bin.

Well...

the chickens thought differently. "What a great surprise for us to completely kick off the board and shred! Thanks, Mom!"